News

Dear Friends,

I hope this message finds you well. As we journey further into Spring, I am noticing that the days are growing longer, more folks are out jogging, young people are having baseball/softball practice in the green fields after school and there seems to be a renewed energy in the air. It is my hope that you are sensing this energy and are beginning to feel revitalized during this time as well.

As we prepare for another Sunday of worship together, we will be looking at a text from the Bible that reminds us of the importance of cherishing the important milestones and changes that occur in our lives. The text also serves as a sacred reminder to not take a single day we get with our loved ones here on this beautiful (and fragile) planet for granted.

If you will be joining worship via the online live-stream this week, please note that we will be celebrating the Sacrament of Communion together. Please have juice and bread ready at home if you would like to participate. I am also happy to bring communion to you during the week if you desire (just shoot me an email and we can set something up).

Have a great weekend and I hope to see you soon!

In Peace,

Luke

Dear Friends,

This week in worship we will continue in our journey towards Easter by looking at one of the most well-known stories in the Bible: The Parable of the Prodigal Son.

While the title of this timeless story usually draws the reader’s attention towards the younger son who squandered his father’s inheritance before returning home and asking for forgiveness, we will be focusing our attention on the older son. As you may recall, the older son was not thrilled about his brother’s return and was very upset with the extravagant grace that was shown by his father.

Have you ever felt like that older son? Have you ever gotten upset when someone who has done something terrible gets away with it or doesn’t get the full punishment they deserve? I know I have certainly felt that way!

It is my hope that as we gather together to pray, sing and encounter this scripture passage that we might figure out some of the ways that we can have a mindset of celebration rather than bitterness when others experience unexpected grace.

Have a great weekend and I hope to see you soon!

In Peace,

Luke

Dear Friends,

As we continue our journey through the season of Lent together, I am excited to let you know that the Rev. Kim Montenegro will be offering our sermon this Sunday. Pastor Kim is a gifted preacher and currently serves as the Director of Religious and Spiritual life at University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. As some of you know, UOP is not only the first chartered University in California, but it was also founded by Methodists!

I encourage you to join us online or in-person as we celebrate God’s redeeming work that is taking place in our lives and in the world.

Hope to see you Sunday,

Luke

Dear Friends,

As we approach the second Sunday in Lent, I am mindful that we are called to treat these 40 days before Easter as a time to fast, take on extra spiritual practices and prepare for the day that we celebrate Jesus’s resurrection. That being said, we often lose sight that every single Sunday (even the ones during this season) is meant to be a mini-Easter. In fact, did you know the season of Lent doesn’t include Sundays? That’s why we say it is the second Sunday IN Lent rather than the second Sunday OF Lent.

This week in worship we will be looking at a teaching from Jesus which reminds us that the Christian faith is not meant to burden us with more rules or a longer to-do list. Instead, our faith is meant to give us what we need in order to be in the right relationship with God and our neighbors. As we prepare for this time together, I invite you to meditate on this promise which is recorded in Matthew Chapter 11: “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

It is my hope that by the end of this week’s service you will find yourself a little “lighter” than you were when you arrived.

In Peace,

Pastor Luke

Dear Friends,

We have officially started the journey towards Easter that the church calls the season of Lent. The name of this season comes from the Anglo-Saxon word “lecten” meaning “lengthen” and refers to the lengthening days of spring. The forty days (not counting Sundays) of this season represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring temptation and preparing to begin his ministry.

To kick off our journey together, this Sunday in worship we will be looking at this story of Jesus’s 40-day temptation as recorded in the gospel of Luke. We will also be reflecting on the various tools that can aid us in resisting the temptations that threaten to draw us away from God and one another.

This Sunday we will also be celebrating the Sacrament of Communion and a baptism. It promises to be a day full of joy and grace!

In preparation for our time together, I want to let you know that in keeping with CDC and California Health guidance, our church council has decided that masks in worship will now be “strongly recommended” rather than “mandatory.” Under the new guidance, we will also be able to partake in communion in the sanctuary rather than outside. That being said, if you prefer to still receive communion outside after worship, we will be providing that option as well. If you aren’t feeling well, please remember that you can join us in worship from home through our online live-stream.

I hope you have a great weekend and look forward to being with you in person or online this Sunday!

In Peace,

Pastor Luke

Dear Friends,

The pandemic has been hard on youth group (I’ve heard the same from many other youth ministers). Not meeting in person or being able to share a meal together – food is a foundation of youth ministry!!! – has been a challenge. We adapted – meeting on zoom during shelter-in-place – and ever since we continue to evaluate, make adjustments and reset.

One thing I’ve learned about our youth is that they are passionate about service. Service has been something we have been able to do – whether meeting outside to clean up trash at the beach, working at the Marin County Food Bank with masks on, or spending the day (hanging sheetrock, taping walls, and using an electric saw!) in Oakland at the Youth Spirit Artworks Tiny House Village for low income young adults. When I send out a sign up for a service activity – they are on it!

That’s why I was so excited to hear about Habitat for Humanity’s playhouse build happening in Tiburon in May. Along with several churches, I’ve signed up our youth to take part in building a playhouse for an organization in need. This is just the start of Habitat’s return to Marin County. Later this year, they’ll be starting a build in Novato and are using this opportunity to get Marin congregations involved. Knowing that we’ll have an amazing organization to serve with gives me hope! Our youth (and those interested) will have an ongoing service opportunity – and we can watch the project develop – while building the connections among our kids in the youth program at the same time.

As Habitat for Humanity works to build support, they’ve asked for all congregations participating in the playhouse build to sponsor a playhouse. Playhouse sponsorship is $1500. While our kids work to raise money for their summer Sierra Service Project trip, we will not ask them to raise money for this event. We do plan to use some money from our youth service fund, but would also love support from our congregation. Can you help by donating any amount to the Mt. Tam Youth Group? If so, please write “Playhouse Build” in the memo line.

Thanks for your support and for helping our youth ministry program thrive!

Tricia Wiig